Eric Moreland had helped propel Oregon State to an 80-72
home triumph over in-state foe Oregon. The junior forward could've texted or
called the Ducks' Joseph Young, ribbing the longtime friend for struggling
against his Beavers.

"He didn't rub it in," said Young, Oregon's leading scorer
who shot just 2-of-9 from the field in the Jan. 19 Civil War. "He knows he has
to come here and play against us again."

Moreland, who will face the Ducks in Eugene at noon Sunday, is
well aware of the problems Young presents. He saw the sweet-shooting guard
confound plenty of teenage competition while they played together on the
Houston Superstars AAU team in the summer of 2009.

On the Superstars, Moreland played Robin to Young's Batman.
The lightly touted incoming high school senior blocked shots, crashed the glass
and recorded the occasional putback. The gritty displays allowed Young to focus
on what he does best: score.

The offensive dynamo already boasted a smooth jumper and a
knack for attacking the basket. He played little defense, but he regularly
erupted for 40-plus points.

"His defense was horrible at that time," said Superstars
founder and coach John Eurey, who has guided the careers of such NBA players as
T.J. Ford, Rashard Lewis and Gerald Green. "He was scoring buckets so I didn't
have a problem with it. And then as he started doing the things that I was
telling him to do, he got to a point where he was unstoppable."

Moreland and Young, two of the Superstars' eight players,
grew close that summer. They hung out after games and often discussed their
Division I ambitions.

Time passed. Moreland landed at OSU after a stint at a prep
school in New Jersey. Young started piecing together gaudy stat lines at
Houston, where his father, former Cougars star Michael Young, was on staff.

After nearly reaching 1,000 points in just two years at the
hometown school, though, Young wanted a change. He reached out to Moreland
while contemplating a transfer to the Ducks. He chatted with his buddy about
the state, about Oregon's fan base, about the Civil War.

"It's crazy how they both ended up in Oregon," Eurey said.

Moreland and Young have settled into their respective roles.
Moreland is the Beavers' high-energy rim protector, a player who uses his
length to alter shots and haul in rebounds. Young, meanwhile, continues to
score in bunches. He wiggled out of a recent shooting slump and ranks fifth in
the Pac-12 at 18.4 points per game.

In their first college meeting last month, Moreland bested
his more highly touted former teammate in more ways than one. He weathered an
off shooting night with 13 rebounds, 11 made free throws, five assists and
three blocks. Young, on the other hand, grew vexed against a parade of double
teams as the Ducks fell to 1-4 in conference play.

But Moreland avoided any lighthearted postgame taunting
because he is well schooled on Young's capabilities. He realizes the Oregon
standout can take over games. He just hopes Young doesn't Sunday.

"He knows how to put the ball in the basket," Moreland said.
"That's what scorers do. They put the ball in the basket."